Let's see/hear it .....
- Thread starter Gary Lee
- Start date
Gary Lee
Active member
Well this season I didn't get out much, but I did share most of the hunts I went on with my younger brother (which is just getting into hunting) so there were alot of memories made. As far as photos I can't get into my Photobucket accounts for some reason. But I will share a story if it will get things going.
It was late in the season and many areas were frozen in. My brother and myself had to drag a small jon boat over the snow into the area we were going to hunt. We put out the decoys and set up along shore in layout blinds and settled in. The morning flight was lacking with few birds in the air. After knocking down a few birds, and missing a few. We had a pair of Mallards come in. My brother chose to shoot then hen and I was to shoot the drake. My brother anchored the hen, and i hit the drake twice. I couldn't believe he didn't fold. As we sit on shore we watch the drake go almost out of eyesight and go down. I grab the bino's and I can make out the drake's head out stretched and him moving away from us. The wind was kicking up, and the waves were rough and I wondered if the bird had just sat down, or if he was crippled up. I dreaded the paddle to go after the bird, and feared I would get to him and he would fly off. After sitting for a couple of minutes watching the drake I knew I had to give it a shot. So I uncover the boat, hop in, and start paddling. I would paddle a ways then glass with the bino's to keep track of him, which was hard due to the wind and waves. I close the gap and the bird tries to fly off, but can't get off of the water. Which now I know I have to get him. So the chase begins. After a mile or so of chasing him, he enters a cove. By this time i have shed my outter shell of my coat, and my gloves, and sweating very bad. As I close the distance I notice an iceshelf that closed the gap he could swim past me when he hit the end of the cove. So i centered the boat in the cove so he would be within gun range to either side of me when he turned. As I get within gun range, I reach down, grab my gun and as I drift towards him i click the safety off and place the bead on his head and get ready to pull the trigger, and he dives. Having had this happen many times before I sit and wait for him to surface. Time passes and no duck. I then notice that in the shelf ice there are many snags, trees, and the shore is dotted with errosion holes. I start to wonder if he hadn't gotten tangled in some debris, or if he hadn't found a hole, or airpocket. Just then his head emerges. I shoot and the duck flutters on the water. I click the safety back on, lay the gun down, and grab an oar to collect the much earned drake. When I looked up he was gone !! I sat there scratching my head. I was sure I had dispatched the bird, so i paddle over to the shelf of ice puzzled over what had happened. As im sitting there looking around I notice movement under the shelf of ice. So with the oar i break the ice, and up floats the drake. As I reach down to pick up the drake I think to myself. You better have a band on your leg after all this work I have done to retrieve you. Grab the bird and start to lay him in the boat and I catch a glimpse of silver. I had to look twice as I couldn't believe he really was banded. I get back to my brother and tell him the story as I'm holding the banded leg in my hand. He shakes his head and says "I watched you disappear from sight and never figured you would get him, I thought you shot at a different bird". I said "you know what's really crazy?" and I showed him the band. He was excited to say the least. Then says "I knew I should have picked the drake to shoot at", and smiles. One of the things that happened during our hunts this year that neither of us will forget I'm sure. Memories that we will have a lifetime.
It was late in the season and many areas were frozen in. My brother and myself had to drag a small jon boat over the snow into the area we were going to hunt. We put out the decoys and set up along shore in layout blinds and settled in. The morning flight was lacking with few birds in the air. After knocking down a few birds, and missing a few. We had a pair of Mallards come in. My brother chose to shoot then hen and I was to shoot the drake. My brother anchored the hen, and i hit the drake twice. I couldn't believe he didn't fold. As we sit on shore we watch the drake go almost out of eyesight and go down. I grab the bino's and I can make out the drake's head out stretched and him moving away from us. The wind was kicking up, and the waves were rough and I wondered if the bird had just sat down, or if he was crippled up. I dreaded the paddle to go after the bird, and feared I would get to him and he would fly off. After sitting for a couple of minutes watching the drake I knew I had to give it a shot. So I uncover the boat, hop in, and start paddling. I would paddle a ways then glass with the bino's to keep track of him, which was hard due to the wind and waves. I close the gap and the bird tries to fly off, but can't get off of the water. Which now I know I have to get him. So the chase begins. After a mile or so of chasing him, he enters a cove. By this time i have shed my outter shell of my coat, and my gloves, and sweating very bad. As I close the distance I notice an iceshelf that closed the gap he could swim past me when he hit the end of the cove. So i centered the boat in the cove so he would be within gun range to either side of me when he turned. As I get within gun range, I reach down, grab my gun and as I drift towards him i click the safety off and place the bead on his head and get ready to pull the trigger, and he dives. Having had this happen many times before I sit and wait for him to surface. Time passes and no duck. I then notice that in the shelf ice there are many snags, trees, and the shore is dotted with errosion holes. I start to wonder if he hadn't gotten tangled in some debris, or if he hadn't found a hole, or airpocket. Just then his head emerges. I shoot and the duck flutters on the water. I click the safety back on, lay the gun down, and grab an oar to collect the much earned drake. When I looked up he was gone !! I sat there scratching my head. I was sure I had dispatched the bird, so i paddle over to the shelf of ice puzzled over what had happened. As im sitting there looking around I notice movement under the shelf of ice. So with the oar i break the ice, and up floats the drake. As I reach down to pick up the drake I think to myself. You better have a band on your leg after all this work I have done to retrieve you. Grab the bird and start to lay him in the boat and I catch a glimpse of silver. I had to look twice as I couldn't believe he really was banded. I get back to my brother and tell him the story as I'm holding the banded leg in my hand. He shakes his head and says "I watched you disappear from sight and never figured you would get him, I thought you shot at a different bird". I said "you know what's really crazy?" and I showed him the band. He was excited to say the least. Then says "I knew I should have picked the drake to shoot at", and smiles. One of the things that happened during our hunts this year that neither of us will forget I'm sure. Memories that we will have a lifetime.
mike braden
Well-known member
Gary,
I always wonder the same things. We always do every possible means to get our downed birds. The few that end up being impossible....you always wonder if they had a band.
I always wonder the same things. We always do every possible means to get our downed birds. The few that end up being impossible....you always wonder if they had a band.
Bands are always cool, ones with good stories are even better.
Only band I have ever gotten came from a lesser scaup. I killed it in January 1998, first year I hunted in Mobile and my second year of really duck hunting. When i first picked up the bird, I thought "how did this scrap of metal get twisted on his leg?" The band was barely hanging on, almost completely worn away. Sent it to the Banding Lab and they were able to etch teh band & read enough numbers to figure it out: The bird was banded as an adult in Nauvoo, IL in March 1988. So, when I shot him, he was at least 10 years old.
Fast forward to the 2004-05 season. For some reason that year, we had a higher than normal number of redheads and cans. Took a buddy of mine out to hunt on one of our diver spots. He had just come down to Mobile from Indiana the year before and was used to shooting mallards & geese. After we took him diver hunting the first few times he was hooked. Well, that morning, he in the front of the boat, I'm in the back. 10 minutes after shooting time, the first duck of what was to be the limit of birds in my Avatar to the left (the one on top, laying crossways, look at its leg), comes haulling butt over the spread and breaks for his side of the boat. I could see it was a drake redhead, which was great because he had not shot a redhead or can before. He drops it with one shot and I climb out to pick it up. As soon as I lift it out of the water, I yell over and call him some off color names I wont type here: Not only is it his first redheads, its a beautiful drake AND its banded. Go figure!
Only band I have ever gotten came from a lesser scaup. I killed it in January 1998, first year I hunted in Mobile and my second year of really duck hunting. When i first picked up the bird, I thought "how did this scrap of metal get twisted on his leg?" The band was barely hanging on, almost completely worn away. Sent it to the Banding Lab and they were able to etch teh band & read enough numbers to figure it out: The bird was banded as an adult in Nauvoo, IL in March 1988. So, when I shot him, he was at least 10 years old.
Fast forward to the 2004-05 season. For some reason that year, we had a higher than normal number of redheads and cans. Took a buddy of mine out to hunt on one of our diver spots. He had just come down to Mobile from Indiana the year before and was used to shooting mallards & geese. After we took him diver hunting the first few times he was hooked. Well, that morning, he in the front of the boat, I'm in the back. 10 minutes after shooting time, the first duck of what was to be the limit of birds in my Avatar to the left (the one on top, laying crossways, look at its leg), comes haulling butt over the spread and breaks for his side of the boat. I could see it was a drake redhead, which was great because he had not shot a redhead or can before. He drops it with one shot and I climb out to pick it up. As soon as I lift it out of the water, I yell over and call him some off color names I wont type here: Not only is it his first redheads, its a beautiful drake AND its banded. Go figure!
Last edited:
Gary Lee
Active member
My brother and myself talked about that very thing, "how many birds that are banded that fly off and never recovered". Carl those are great stories, thanks for sharing. The drake Mallard in the story above had a band very worn and I figured for sure had been wearing it for quite awhile and was excited to get the info back. Well I get the info back and was shocked. Had been banded for only 4 yrs. But he was banded in NY which is the furthest east of any of the bands I have recovered. Speaking of first bands, here is one for you.
It was my first season of waterfowl hunting, and the birds were down in great numbers and everyone was getting in on the fun. Word spread fast that Canvasbacks were down, which I heard was super rare for hear and should try to harvest one of the "Kings". So as we are sitting around a friends shop talking about them, I jokingly said I was heading out to shoot me one. A man from this area was sitting with us, this man has hunted about everything you can hunt in the world, and smiles and tells me. If you get one, please bring it to my house. I have yet to kill one in Indiana, and would really enjoy seeing it. So off I go to scout. Hitting one of the areas I hunt and I glass the water. Slowly searching with my eyes I see a few Mallards, a couple Ruddy ducks, a Bufflehead, and ..... a pair of Cans !!! I was super excited and wondered if I should back out and hunt the spot in the morning, or get when the gettings good and put on a sneak. The area was barren with little to no cover on the bank what so ever. But I decide to try to sneak on them. So grab the gun and start my sneak. I would time my movement with the birds dives, jogging, crawling, my way to them. I get within gun range, and I'm waiting for them to spread apart well enough so I know the hen won't take any of the shot. The hen spots me, lets out a call, and off she goes. The drake attempted to follow but I fold him. i was excited to say the least. I took it to the man's home and saw his reaction and was very stunned. This man has killed Lions, Leopards, Polar Bear, etc, etc. and he is flipping out over the Can. After showing the bird I was off to scout. I found a bend on the main river that had raft after raft of divers, and puddle ducks sitting back in ever cove. The next morning I harvested another Bull Can, and an assortment of divers. So a friend asks me if I could put him on a Can, and I told him to be ready in the morning. The next morning we are in the blind waiting for legal shooting time, and birds are already landing in the spread. Legal time comes, and in comes a flock of Cans, I chose to harvest a hen to be mounted as I had already shot two Bulls ... After the shots, my friend was all smiles and was hooping and hollaring. I wade out to pick up the birds, reaching his first, and he shouts out asking how bad it was shot up. I let him know it was in great shape and would make for a great mount. I reach over and grab the hen turn to return to shore and see the band on her leg. Not knowing how big of a deal bands were I shout to him "it's got a band on it's leg". He starts jumping up and down in the boatblind, and shouting as loud as he can. I told him that the hen was banded and not his drake, and he said, "yeah I can see it"!! I had no clue that those would be the only Cans I would shoot (I have yet to shoot another one) for a long period of time, much less get one with a band on its leg.
Years later I was on a solo hunt, and had shot my limit of Mallards, and was sitting back along shore enjoying some warmer weather, watching Mallards, and watching for some "others". In come some geese, and I spot an orange collar !! So I shoot the collar and the bird behind the collar drops too. WOW ! I got my first collar and my limit of geese in one shot! I sit on shore letting the wind blow the birds to me, and I keep thinking I see a reflection off of the second goose. A little later I retrieve my neck collar and I'm very excited to say the least. The I grab the other goose, flip it over, and low and behold. I have another leg band !! Those two bands are the first and only ones that I have taken from geese to this day. Talk about luck !
Had a friend that had just started out waterfowl hunting and was wanting a Drake Wood Duck in a bad way. So I call him up and tell him to be ready in the morning. I had found a large group of Woodies as well as Mallards and we would have a great shoot in the morning, and a friend was to video it all. I waited for him til I couldn't wait any longer. He was a no-show. My friend with the camera was stunned when it turned legal shooting time and I wasn't shooting as groups of birds were pouring out of the hole over our heads. I explained that I didn't want to shoot the roost, we would let them leave, and get the smaller groups on their return after feeding. The first bird comes in, and wouldn't you know it. A Drake Woodie. I whisper to my friend next to me, "that should be Jim's bird, IF HE WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP". I step out of the timber, kick the water and hoop to flush the bird. Up he jumps, and BOOM, BOOM.... off he flew. Friend asks "did you get it?". I shake my head and tell him I'm sure I hit it. Just then in the morning light we could see wings splashing in the water at the edge of the beaver slough. I go over to retrieve it, pick him up .... yup you guessed it. BAND. To this day I still rub it in my friend's face that was wanting a Wood Duck so bad. He has yet to get his first band and it's all his fault .... or so i tell him.
It was my first season of waterfowl hunting, and the birds were down in great numbers and everyone was getting in on the fun. Word spread fast that Canvasbacks were down, which I heard was super rare for hear and should try to harvest one of the "Kings". So as we are sitting around a friends shop talking about them, I jokingly said I was heading out to shoot me one. A man from this area was sitting with us, this man has hunted about everything you can hunt in the world, and smiles and tells me. If you get one, please bring it to my house. I have yet to kill one in Indiana, and would really enjoy seeing it. So off I go to scout. Hitting one of the areas I hunt and I glass the water. Slowly searching with my eyes I see a few Mallards, a couple Ruddy ducks, a Bufflehead, and ..... a pair of Cans !!! I was super excited and wondered if I should back out and hunt the spot in the morning, or get when the gettings good and put on a sneak. The area was barren with little to no cover on the bank what so ever. But I decide to try to sneak on them. So grab the gun and start my sneak. I would time my movement with the birds dives, jogging, crawling, my way to them. I get within gun range, and I'm waiting for them to spread apart well enough so I know the hen won't take any of the shot. The hen spots me, lets out a call, and off she goes. The drake attempted to follow but I fold him. i was excited to say the least. I took it to the man's home and saw his reaction and was very stunned. This man has killed Lions, Leopards, Polar Bear, etc, etc. and he is flipping out over the Can. After showing the bird I was off to scout. I found a bend on the main river that had raft after raft of divers, and puddle ducks sitting back in ever cove. The next morning I harvested another Bull Can, and an assortment of divers. So a friend asks me if I could put him on a Can, and I told him to be ready in the morning. The next morning we are in the blind waiting for legal shooting time, and birds are already landing in the spread. Legal time comes, and in comes a flock of Cans, I chose to harvest a hen to be mounted as I had already shot two Bulls ... After the shots, my friend was all smiles and was hooping and hollaring. I wade out to pick up the birds, reaching his first, and he shouts out asking how bad it was shot up. I let him know it was in great shape and would make for a great mount. I reach over and grab the hen turn to return to shore and see the band on her leg. Not knowing how big of a deal bands were I shout to him "it's got a band on it's leg". He starts jumping up and down in the boatblind, and shouting as loud as he can. I told him that the hen was banded and not his drake, and he said, "yeah I can see it"!! I had no clue that those would be the only Cans I would shoot (I have yet to shoot another one) for a long period of time, much less get one with a band on its leg.
Years later I was on a solo hunt, and had shot my limit of Mallards, and was sitting back along shore enjoying some warmer weather, watching Mallards, and watching for some "others". In come some geese, and I spot an orange collar !! So I shoot the collar and the bird behind the collar drops too. WOW ! I got my first collar and my limit of geese in one shot! I sit on shore letting the wind blow the birds to me, and I keep thinking I see a reflection off of the second goose. A little later I retrieve my neck collar and I'm very excited to say the least. The I grab the other goose, flip it over, and low and behold. I have another leg band !! Those two bands are the first and only ones that I have taken from geese to this day. Talk about luck !
Had a friend that had just started out waterfowl hunting and was wanting a Drake Wood Duck in a bad way. So I call him up and tell him to be ready in the morning. I had found a large group of Woodies as well as Mallards and we would have a great shoot in the morning, and a friend was to video it all. I waited for him til I couldn't wait any longer. He was a no-show. My friend with the camera was stunned when it turned legal shooting time and I wasn't shooting as groups of birds were pouring out of the hole over our heads. I explained that I didn't want to shoot the roost, we would let them leave, and get the smaller groups on their return after feeding. The first bird comes in, and wouldn't you know it. A Drake Woodie. I whisper to my friend next to me, "that should be Jim's bird, IF HE WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP". I step out of the timber, kick the water and hoop to flush the bird. Up he jumps, and BOOM, BOOM.... off he flew. Friend asks "did you get it?". I shake my head and tell him I'm sure I hit it. Just then in the morning light we could see wings splashing in the water at the edge of the beaver slough. I go over to retrieve it, pick him up .... yup you guessed it. BAND. To this day I still rub it in my friend's face that was wanting a Wood Duck so bad. He has yet to get his first band and it's all his fault .... or so i tell him.